Guest guest Posted February 18, 2008 Report Share Posted February 18, 2008 For a child that doesn't swallow pills yet, Natural Calm or Kids Calm seem to work for most. Add a little lemon and honey or agave to make it into a rather tangy lemonade Parental salesmanship helps. Most HFS carry it -- or order it online Iherb, vitacost, etc > > Hi, > > My son is 28 months and just started miralax. I am not comfortable > with him on this drug, especially after reading your posts. He has > been on miralax only for two days, but i would rather find an > alternative to miralax for his constipation. He is mainly withholding > his poops. This past week he held it for 5 days and was impacted. i > took him to doc and was told to do 2 enemas and start miralaz. > > After reading your posts, am i right to think that magnesium is a key > to getting constipation under control? where do i start with the > magnesium? is there a magnesium supplement that you can just mix into > their juice? > > thanks for any help you can give me. > > (and ) > Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest guest Posted February 18, 2008 Report Share Posted February 18, 2008 first let me say hello an welcome to the group. 2ndly sorry that you are having to deal with this problem. it sucks! May i ask a question? are you actively potty trainign, or is your 28 month old compeletly potty trained? if the answer is NO, then this may nt be a true with holding problem. When my son was put on Miralax (he is off and had only a few dosages before I learned how dangerous this stuff is, and immediatly pulled him off it) He was around 27 months old. Here's the thing, with my son, this had been an issue most of his life. Even as an infant, he'd strain for hours to get a soft BM out. His BM's were never hard even as he got older and he would go 5 days between BM's. My son has been diagnosed with hypotonia, basically low muscle tone. He was also delayed in gross motor and speech, and takes PT and ST 2x's a week. THe hypotonia is responsible for his bowel issues ( i learned this via my son's therapists and his GI, his ped insisted that the hypotonia was not the cause of his problem) My ped's only response was miralax or mineral oil and forced or as she called it, " conditioning " potty training. SHe told me that a GI would tell me the same thing, but i pushed for a referral The first thing the GI, as well as my son's therapists told me is that if a child is not potty trainign (which my son was not, he'd go if he asked only. see i had the excact same bowel issues as a child as he has) Then they have NOT learned how to withhold their poop. Bowel withholding, doesn't really come into to play until they are almost compeletly potty trained adn have learned that they can ignore the urge to deficate. Often times kids will do this cause 1. they experianced a painful BM,a nd think that withholding will avoid the situation,2. they are just too busy to go to the potty when the urge hits or 3. they have a fear of hte potty. My GI told me with kids this young he doesn't consider it " true " withholding until they are closer to 4 yrs of age. My son's GI, told me the oppisite of what my ped told me. 1. he told me that the hypotonia was the cause, that is was muscle related. 2. he gave me natural remedies instead of miralax, 3. he was open to homopathic remedies such as proboditic therapy, 4. he told me to not even attempt to potty train my son. to allow him to choose adn vocalize to me when he wanted to go, allow him to sit for as long as he wanted, adn to allow him access to his diapers, or keep him in diapers for as long as he wanted to be in them. He told me the worse thing you could do is the " conditioning " force potty training, basically taking them to the potty at regular intervals and MAKING them sit on teh potty for 15 mins or more, rather they want too or not. THat these things could turn a problem into aa whithholding problem. I would say first off stop the miralax NOW. don't give anymore. you dont' want his body to become dependant on it, and believe me it doesn't take much for that to happen up his water and juice intake. stop milk, or at the very least cut it waaaayyyyy back. limit bindign foods basically the BRAT diet (banana's rice, apples, toast unless it is 100% whole wheat toast) things that have been workign for my son so far Flax seed meal, you can get this at any HFS. it is a fine meal of flax seeds and can be sprinkled into foods of smoothies. It adds much needed fiber, and also has flax oil in it which acts like a lubercant. I usually bake iwth my flax seed meal ( you can bake with teh meal, but NOT with the oil. never cook just the oil.) into oatmeal cookies for my son. he loves them and eats them right up Flax seed oil, this is great to use in fruit smooties, flax meal can be a tad grainy in texture, so if you have a child with sensory issues (as i do with mine) then the oil is a better choice for smoothies. take frozen high fiber fruits such as strawberries, blue berries, pineapple, mango, etc and feel free to mix fruit flavors. here's my son's favroite smoothie reciepe 1 handful frozen strawberries, 1 handful frozen blue berries 1 handful frozen raspberries 1 Tsp of flax seed oil ( i usually just eyeball it and add 2.5 cause i make enough for me and him) 100% sunny D juice (GOD i love that htey finally came out with teh 100% juice!!! I love sunny D, and it really makes great smoothies ) again i just eyeball the amount, but fill up the blender with enough to make hte berries float. add more if you want a thinner consistancy. Blend till smooth and serve. YUMMMMYYY Magensium citrate. i get the capsules at the HFS, and split them apart and pour the powder into his drink Sorbitol 70% solution, this is a fruit sugar that is undigestable in teh intestines. it is labeled an hyperosmoitic laxative when taken in higher dosages. It just sits in the intestines and draws water from the body to the bowels making stools bulkier, and easier to pass (same as miralax, but 100% natural and with none of the potiential dangerous side effects of miralax) it is also avialable OTC, you do have to ask your pharmasist for it, though as the solution does need to be mixed by your phramisist. My son doesn't get milk anymore. He doesn't have an allergy, but milk is constipating in and of it self. milk doesn't have alot of calcium anyway, and is very very low in iron, and there are more ways to get calicum into your child's diet than milk. HTH and hope your little one feels better soon. I know all to well, as do all the ladies here, what you are going through. these ladies are wonderful, even if you just need a shoulder to cry on ( and i just made one such post today), they are here and they have great ideas. > > Hi, > > My son is 28 months and just started miralax. I am not comfortable > with him on this drug, especially after reading your posts. He has > been on miralax only for two days, but i would rather find an > alternative to miralax for his constipation. He is mainly withholding > his poops. This past week he held it for 5 days and was impacted. i > took him to doc and was told to do 2 enemas and start miralaz. > > After reading your posts, am i right to think that magnesium is a key > to getting constipation under control? where do i start with the > magnesium? is there a magnesium supplement that you can just mix into > their juice? > > thanks for any help you can give me. > > (and ) > Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest guest Posted February 19, 2008 Report Share Posted February 19, 2008 Hi, thanks for your reply. My son does have low tone in his trunk, so does my 3 year old daughter, but she did not have any of these issues. Also, my son has mild sensory issues and is in speech therapy once per week. no, i am not actively potty training, though his OT told me to start if he is withholding poop. she also told me that this was unrelated to low tone, but i knew i heard that connection somewhere. probably for the past 9-12 months he has had poop issues. he holds it or whatever for a couple of days and produced one gigantic poop that is soft and round. how old is your son? is he potty trained now? will this issue ever be resolved? i am concerned he will have problems for the rest of his life. though i am not surprised, because i am rather irregular too. thanks for all your advice, i will not give him more miralax. i have acouple more questions for you... 1. how much sorbitol 70% solution do you give your son per day? 2. how much magnesium citrate or how many capsules per day? 3. do you use a milk substitute like soy milk? thanks so much for your reply. my husband thinks i overreact about everything. but i have to he is my son. since he was little he has had things going on. he wore a helmet for plagiocephaly, has been speech delayed, low tone in trunk, mild sensory issues, and now this. but things could always be worse i suppose. but anyway, really thanks for your support. kelly > > > > Hi, > > > > My son is 28 months and just started miralax. I am not comfortable > > with him on this drug, especially after reading your posts. He has > > been on miralax only for two days, but i would rather find an > > alternative to miralax for his constipation. He is mainly > withholding > > his poops. This past week he held it for 5 days and was impacted. > i > > took him to doc and was told to do 2 enemas and start miralaz. > > > > After reading your posts, am i right to think that magnesium is a > key > > to getting constipation under control? where do i start with the > > magnesium? is there a magnesium supplement that you can just mix > into > > their juice? > > > > thanks for any help you can give me. > > > > (and ) > > > Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest guest Posted February 19, 2008 Report Share Posted February 19, 2008 i forgot, one more question, to anyone out there...have you ever tried those Juice Plus juice boxes from earth-friendly.com (or something like that)??? i read on some other message board about them, and i thought about trying them out. anyone have success with these? thanks, > > > > > > Hi, > > > > > > My son is 28 months and just started miralax. I am not > comfortable > > > with him on this drug, especially after reading your posts. He > has > > > been on miralax only for two days, but i would rather find an > > > alternative to miralax for his constipation. He is mainly > > withholding > > > his poops. This past week he held it for 5 days and was > impacted. > > i > > > took him to doc and was told to do 2 enemas and start miralaz. > > > > > > After reading your posts, am i right to think that magnesium is a > > key > > > to getting constipation under control? where do i start with the > > > magnesium? is there a magnesium supplement that you can just mix > > into > > > their juice? > > > > > > thanks for any help you can give me. > > > > > > (and ) > > > > > > Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest guest Posted February 19, 2008 Report Share Posted February 19, 2008 YOur OT has lied to you!!! while some kids with hypotonia don't have consitipation problems, some do. and Hypotonia or low muscle tone does infact contribute to pooping problems and is the cause. The intestines are a muscle, and if the low tone reaches them, then just like with other muscles the hypotonia reaches, it is weaker. When the muscle is weaker it doesn't work like it supposed to. My son's GI was adment that my son's hypotonia is the direct cause to his pooping issues. HE also said that potty training during this was the worst thing you can do. AS of right now, this is probably not a true withholding problem, but a mucsle problem, and will continue to be a problem till his muscles learn how to coordinate correctly and strengthen. I'll be honest, i would find another therapist ASAP one that understands hypotonia and what it actually causes. Had it not been for my son's therapists, i might have listened ot his ped saying the say thing your OT is saying to you and not found the truth!! that Hypotonia does cause bowel issues if the hypotonia is present in the bowels, or trunk. As with my son, it sounds like yoru son has the same issues. I would also get a referral to a ped GI ASAP as well. They know about hypotonia and know that it is an cause of consitipation. Itis a mistery why it effects some wiht hypotonia and not other's. I was told that it is probably due to different systems and body parts being effected in different kids. Most of my son's GI's patients are those with hypotonia, and constipation. and yes, It is not only related BUT is the cause. I can't strss that enough! It irriatates me to no end when medical professionals write that off and say it has no cause and that it is a withholding issue cause they " see it all the time! " Hello!!! there is a clear medical reason and it needs treatment!! Not the brush off. Sorry, i'm getting off my soap box now. But, please i urge you to seek a proper GI consultation asap taht knows about hypotonia. aNother cause is family history has anyone in your family had bowel issues as kids? if so then your children have a 50% chance of having it as well. As i said forcing potty training prior to your child being ready is hte worst thing you can do. If he asks to go that is one thing, but makin him sit is not going to help. think about it htis way. If he won't poop in his diapers, what makes the doctors think he is actulaly going to poop in the potty????ANd if he is not actively training then he has NOT Learned the skill of withholding his poop. that is a skill that has to be learned. That is just another indication that it is hte hypotonia's fault. Has he had issues prior to this one during his life? if so, then again the hypotonia is hte culprit. You say he has had issues for the last year, and that even when he holds it for a few days it is still soft? excactly the way my son was/is. If the poop is still soft it means it is not moving through the intestines at a regular rate (hypotonia!!) and is retaining moisture, cause it is taking soo much time in the small intetestines. (this is where the nutrients are absorbed but not water this doesn't happen till it is in teh colon!) it is taking a while to get to the large intestines where water is extracted and it descends in the colon and is ready to exit. DOes he also strain alot to have that soft BM?? I'm telling you, this is excactly to the letter my son! HIs Ped didnt' believe it was related to the hypotonia, when i found out is was, we have fired our ped adn hired a new one! My son will be 3 in March, no he is not potty trained. He does ask to go and i will take him when he asks, but he is still 99% in diapers and will be till he's ready. He is having an issue rignt now, it's been 6 days since his last BM. But he is still eating, his tummy is soft and there are no masses in his tummy, so the GI doc wants to try to wait it out. THis will be an ongoing issue, so be prepared and get settled in. SOrbitol and lactoluse are both natural stool softeners from sugars. My son will be on it till he is compeletly potty trained and may have to be on and off for his entire young childhood years. Hypotonia is difficult to get over, cuase it takes much more effort for a child afflicted iwth it to coordinate his mucsles. and hypotonia may never compelelty disapper (it hasn't with me, i still hav issues with it myself) But as they grow older and learn how to work their bodies to help expell the poop you will find that he will be able to come off stool softening therapy. If you re having problems wiht your bowels even now, then your son will likely as well. But, it is manageable. remeber you both have a job in this . YOur job is to make his poop as soft as possible, his ist o actually go. YOu cannot make him go!!!! my GI's favorite saying is " you can lead a child to potty, but you can't make him sit, and you sure as heck cant make him poop! " this is something he has to learn how to do. It is a good idea to start explaining ot him simply how his body works, that it is the way the body is designed that hte poop come out and not stay in. to help him better understand his own body. KWIM. My son takes anywhere from 1-2 tablespoons. you have to play with the dosage and see what works for your son. YOu want him to have soft serve icecream consitancy poops, but not pudding. Start with 1 tblsp and play with it till you get the desired consistancy. You will likely have to play with the dosage on and off for a while, or you may find that he responds well for a few months at a steady dosage, but then needs more once or twice if he seems to still have problems. I give him half a capsule of magensium every other day. just break them open and pour the powder in his juice No milk or milk subsitutes. I have come to realize that cows milk is for baby cows and is NOT for human consuption. I would stay far away from milk for a while I'm glad i oculd help. You are not overreacting you are helping your son, and doing it naturally!! Miralax is not natural!! And who wants to see their babies in pain. i tell you it is killing me knowing that my son hasn't pooped in almost 7 days!!!!! And i get crabby when he goes longer than 5!!! This is a managable condition, but one that takes alot out of mom! Pooping will become yoru life! I would suggest you start a pooping chart so that you can have a record of when and what consistancy his poop was. I would advise you call the ped GI's in your area and get interviews with them. It can take up to a month to get in with a ped GI, so starting now is important. GL, hang in there and know that these ladies and I are always here if you need us for questions or support! > > > > > > Hi, > > > > > > My son is 28 months and just started miralax. I am not > comfortable > > > with him on this drug, especially after reading your posts. He > has > > > been on miralax only for two days, but i would rather find an > > > alternative to miralax for his constipation. He is mainly > > withholding > > > his poops. This past week he held it for 5 days and was > impacted. > > i > > > took him to doc and was told to do 2 enemas and start miralaz. > > > > > > After reading your posts, am i right to think that magnesium is a > > key > > > to getting constipation under control? where do i start with the > > > magnesium? is there a magnesium supplement that you can just mix > > into > > > their juice? > > > > > > thanks for any help you can give me. > > > > > > (and ) > > > > > > Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest guest Posted February 21, 2008 Report Share Posted February 21, 2008 They're fine -------------- Original message -------------- i forgot, one more question, to anyone out there...have you ever tried those Juice Plus juice boxes from earth-friendly.com (or something like that)??? i read on some other message board about them, and i thought about trying them out. anyone have success with these?thanks, > > >> > > Hi,> > > > > > My son is 28 months and just started miralax. I am not > comfortable > > > with him on this drug, especially after reading your posts. He > has > > > been on miralax only for two days, but i would rather find an > > > alternative to miralax for his constipation. He is mainly > > withholding > > > his poops. This past week he held it for 5 days and was > impacted. > > i > > > took him to doc and was told to do 2 enemas and start miralaz.> > > > > > After reading your posts, am i right to think that magnesium is a > > key > > > to getting constipation under control? where do i start with the > > > magnesium? is there a magnesium supplement that you can just mix > > into > > > their juice? > > > > > > thanks for any help you can give me.> > > > > > (and )> > >> >> Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest guest Posted February 21, 2008 Report Share Posted February 21, 2008 I would also like to add that cases have been reported that miralax has seized up the bowel, so this could be another factor and being misconstrued when trying to be diagnosed. They couldn't go if they wanted to, also, if the dose is too high, who's to say it's not putting the bowel into shock and they just simply can't pass it Jeanie -------------- Original message -------------- YOur OT has lied to you!!! while some kids with hypotonia don't have consitipation problems, some do. and Hypotonia or low muscle tone does infact contribute to pooping problems and is the cause. The intestines are a muscle, and if the low tone reaches them, then just like with other muscles the hypotonia reaches, it is weaker. When the muscle is weaker it doesn't work like it supposed to. My son's GI was adment that my son's hypotonia is the direct cause to his pooping issues. HE also said that potty training during this was the worst thing you can do. AS of right now, this is probably not a true withholding problem, but a mucsle problem, and will continue to be a problem till his muscles learn how to coordinate correctly and strengthen. I'll be honest, i would find another therapist ASAP one that understands hypotonia and what it actually causes. Had it not been for my son's therapists, i might have listened ot his ped saying the say thing your OT is saying to you and not found the truth!! that Hypotonia does cause bowel issues if the hypotonia is present in the bowels, or trunk. As with my son, it sounds like yoru son has the same issues. I would also get a referral to a ped GI ASAP as well. They know about hypotonia and know that it is an cause of consitipation. Itis a mistery why it effects some wiht hypotonia and not other's. I was told that it is probably due to different systems and body parts being effected in different kids. Most of my son's GI's patients are those with hypotonia, and constipation. and yes, It is not only related BUT is the cause. I can't strss that enough! It irriatates me to no end when medical professionals write that off and say it has no cause and that it is a withholding issue cause they "see it all the time!" Hello!!! there is a clear medical reason and it needs treatment!! Not the brush off. Sorry, i'm getting off my soap box now. But, please i urge you to seek a proper GI consultation asap taht knows about hypotonia. aNother cause is family history has anyone in your family had bowel issues as kids? if so then your children have a 50% chance of having it as well. As i said forcing potty training prior to your child being ready is hte worst thing you can do. If he asks to go that is one thing, but makin him sit is not going to help. think about it htis way. If he won't poop in his diapers, what makes the doctors think he is actulaly going to poop in the potty????ANd if he is not actively training then he has NOT Learned the skill of withholding his poop. that is a skill that has to be learned. That is just another indication that it is hte hypotonia's fault. Has he had issues prior to this one during his life? if so, then again the hypotonia is hte culprit. You say he has had issues for the last year, and that even when he BR>holds it for a few days it is still soft? excactly the way my son was/is. If the poop is still soft it means it is not moving through the intestines at a regular rate (hypotonia!!) and is retaining moisture, cause it is taking soo much time in the small intetestines. (this is where the nutrients are absorbed but not water this doesn't happen till it is in teh colon!) it is taking a while to get to the large intestines where water is extracted and it descends in the colon and is ready to exit. DOes he also strain alot to have that soft BM?? I'm telling you, this is excactly to the letter my son! HIs Ped didnt' believe it was related to the hypotonia, when i found out is was, we have fired our ped adn hired a new one! My son will be 3 in March, no he is not potty trained. He does ask to go and i will take him when he asks, but he is still 99% in diapers and will be till he's ready. He is having an issue rignt now, it's BR>been 6 days since his last BM. But he is still eating, his tummy is soft and there are no masses in his tummy, so the GI doc wants to try to wait it out. THis will be an ongoing issue, so be prepared and get settled in. SOrbitol and lactoluse are both natural stool softeners from sugars. My son will be on it till he is compeletly potty trained and may have to be on and off for his entire young childhood years. Hypotonia is difficult to get over, cuase it takes much more effort for a child afflicted iwth it to coordinate his mucsles. and hypotonia may never compelelty disapper (it hasn't with me, i still hav issues with it myself) But as they grow older and learn how to work their bodies to help expell the poop you will find that he will be able to come off stool softening therapy. If you re having problems wiht your bowels even now, then your son will likely as well. But, it is manageable. remeber you both have a job in this . YOur job is to make his poop as soft as possible, his ist o actually go. YOu cannot make him go!!!! my GI's favorite saying is "you can lead a child to potty, but you can't make him sit, and you sure as heck cant make him poop!" this is something he has to learn how to do. It is a good idea to start explaining ot him simply how his body works, that it is the way the body is designed that hte poop come out and not stay in. to help him better understand his own body. KWIM. My son takes anywhere from 1-2 tablespoons. you have to play with the dosage and see what works for your son. YOu want him to have soft serve icecream consitancy poops, but not pudding. Start with 1 tblsp and play with it till you get the desired consistancy. You will likely have to play with the dosage on and off for a while, or you may find that he responds well for a few months at a steady dosage, but then needs more once or twice if he seems to still have problems. I give him half a capsule of magensium every other day. just break them open and pour the powder in his juiceNo milk or milk subsitutes. I have come to realize that cows milk is for baby cows and is NOT for human consuption. I would stay far away from milk for a whileI'm glad i oculd help. You are not overreacting you are helping your son, and doing it naturally!! Miralax is not natural!! And who wants to see their babies in pain. i tell you it is killing me knowing that my son hasn't pooped in almost 7 days!!!!! And i get crabby when he goes longer than 5!!! This is a managable condition, but one that takes alot out of mom! Pooping will become yoru life! I would suggest you start a pooping chart so that you can have a record of when and what consistancy his poop was. I would advise you call the ped GI's in your area and get interviews with them. It can take up to a month to get in with a ped GI, so starting now is important. GL, hang in there and know that these ladies and I are always here if you need us for questions or support!> > >> > > Hi,> > > > > > My son is 28 months and just started miralax. I am not > comfortable > > > with him on this drug, especially after reading your posts. He > has > > > been on miralax only for two days, but i would rather find an > > > alternative to miralax for his constipation. He is mainly > > withholding > > > his poops. This past week he held it for 5 days and was > impacted. > > i > > > took him to doc and was told to do 2 enemas and start miralaz.> > > > > > After reading your posts, am i right to think that magnesium is a > > key > > > to getting constipation under control? where do i start with the > > > magnesium? is there a magnesium supplement that you can just mix > > into > > > their juice? > > > > > > thanks for any help you can give me.> > > > > > (and )> > >> >> Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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